Machine for cleaning eggs, fruit, and the like



v Dec. 9, 1952 A. HOLT 2,620,6Q3

MACHINE FOR CLEANING EGGS, FRUIT, AND THE LIKE Filed May 5, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Dec. 9, 1952 A. HOLT 7 2,620,603

MACHINE FOR CLEANING EGGS, FRUIT, AND THE LIKE Filed May 3, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Patented Dec. 9, 1952 MACHINE FOR CLEANING EGG'S, FRUIT, AND THE LIKE Alfred Holt, Epsom, Auckland, New Zealand Application May 3, 1950, Serial No. 159,850

In Great Britain August 7, 1949 4 Claims. 1

This invention has been devised with the object of providing a new construction of machine for use, more particularly by farmers for the cleaning of eggs, fruit, vegetables or the like, in preparing them for the market.

The machine designed is adapted in its operation to deal with a number of eggs, fruit or the like at one time, which number may vary in correspondence with the size in which the machine is made, and to effect the cleaning by a washing action in water, or in other liquid or in a suitable dry material.

The invention hereinafter is relatively employed to describe the cleaning of eggs.

In the general features of its construction, the invention comprises a horizontally disposed cylindrical drum made with a closed or perforated periphery and with a central opening at one or at both ends, and a trough within which the cylinder is mounted to extend and to rotate, which trough is made of a depth such that the lower part only of the cylinder is located as the cylinder rotates. The eggs to be cleaned, or washed, are placed within the drum through the end opening or openings, to rest in the lower part thereof and the drum is rotated so that the eggs are caused to roll over and over in the cylinder.

The invention also relates to the detail of construction of the machine and to the means whereby the required rotation may be imparted to the drum or cylinder.

In more fully describing the invention, reference will hereinafter be made to the accompany- --ing sheets of drawings, in which:

the drive spindle and its bearing also not shown.

Figure 3 is a left hand end view on above figures. and

Figure 4 is a right hand end view on Figures 1 and 2, and illustrating the drive means which are shown partially broken to illustrate an adjustment means later referred to,

Figure 5 is a detail side view of the drive means, and

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the other bearing and of each drive spindle.

The drum is made up of two circular end plates in each formed with a central circular aperture .1 0a and each formed with an inwardly projecting flange lob at its peripheral edge, and with a pe- 2 ripheral cylindrical wall I l of suitably strong and perforated material, as perforated sheeting, gauze, metal sheeting or the like, extending between the two ends. Each end flange is surrounded by a cushioning frictional gripping material l2, as rubber, cork or the like.

If desired, though, the opening 10a at one end of the drum may be covered by perforated material as indicated in Figure 3.

The trough is formed with ends I3 made to constitute stands by which the machine's base is made up, and a transversely curved bottom I4 extending between the ends, the curve in which is formed in conformity with the diameter of the drum but slightly larger. A spindle I5 is arranged to extend alongside each edge of the trough such spindle being journalled in bearings seated in recesses 13a formed in the trough end. Each bearing consists of a fluted rubber bush [6 disposed over a brass or like bearing I! which bush is formed integral with a flat plate No. This plate is fitted between locating faces l3b at the rear of the recess l3a when the fluted bush of the bearing is seated within the recess. The prowithin the bearing has an encircling spring clip to retain the spindle in correct position or for the quick removal thereof from the bearing.

On each end of each spindle IS a friction roller I8 is fixed and these rollers serve to support the drum l I on the trough M by causing the flange I 0b of the drum ends to rest thereon. Each roller [8 is formed with a flanged end l8a to serve as a riding guide for the respective engaging flange of the drum. The main surface of the rollers may also be ribbed to ensure a positive frictional drive of the drum therewith. The drum may thus rotate on these rollers and by reason of the cushioning nature of the engagement between the flanges and the rollers provided by the material IZ, its rotation Will be without shock or jar.

The rotation is imparted to the drum by making one of the spindles a power driven spindle, for which purpose at one end of its ends it has a rubber tyred wheel l9 mounted thereon. A short shaft 20 is journalled in a bearing in the corresponding trough end and on this a frictional surfaced wheel such as the knurled fibre roller 2| is mounted to engage the wheel I9 upon the spindle. Rotation may be imparted to this shaft by any approved means operated by hand or power drive.

In the drawings suitable power means for this purpose are shown such means comprising the pulley 22 mounted upon the other end of the shaft 20 and adapted to be connected to an electrical motor through the V -belt drive indicated by the dashed cross-section of Figure 5. When the hand operated means are used, the machine may be caused to operate continuously the operator being free to place the eggs into the machine and to remove them through the opening of the drum ends.

Provision may be made in the mounting of the spindle 20 whereby the frictional contact between its roller 21 and the wheel 19 may be adjusted at will. For this purpose the said spindle is mounted in the journal 24 upon the end ofa lever army 24?) pivoted upon a pin 25 which projects from the side of the end frame member l3 and such journal is provided with a lug 24a projecting outwardly and upwardly therefrom. A screw threaded stud 23 passes loosely through this lug in-' wardly and its head engages the lug while the stud screws into the end of the frame .member l3 so that by the manipulation of the stud, the

-; lever arm -2 4b maybe moved inwardly to tension more or less the engagement of the roller 20 with the wheel in the required manner.

. The trough 14 is provided with a draining-sump 26 if liquid is used,- for collecting, and draining off the dirty liquid; the charging of the trough is :efiected by running; water or.-liquid into it between the drum and the trough top, through the inlet pipe 21. A rotatableoverflow-pipe28 is If: desired, andin order to prevent any liability Y oi eggs falling out over the edge of the opening lilashouldany excess quantity of eggs be placed 1 in the, drum or-shouldthe eggs bunch in a heap, a .--guard.;.plate 2-9. may be provided which plate is ,shaped,to.,,extend,vertically and, at a tangent across within the lower edge of the opening and to overlap it,a-distance. This plate is, kept in position by formingits upper edge, with a flange ,which rests on the top edge of the adjacent-frame member Hand is .clamped thereon bymeans of thespring disc 39 affixed to the outer side of such vframe member.

Thevmachine parts are made of any suitable material or combination of materials.

In, the use of, this .machine the, drum isset rotating at .a ,slow. speed to dip into. thewat'er in the trough and eggsare passed in throughr its end opening or,- openings to lie. upon its lower side and thereby to be rolled gently over. and over by contact with one another ,and with the turning drum surface and thus to be cleaned,

-' after which they may be removed by access through'the drum end or ends. s I claim:

1-. A machine for use in-cleaningeggs, fruit or the like, comprising a shallowtroughadapted toholdasuppl-y of liquid the said-trough having a spindle journal-led in eachof its edges; to-ex- 4 tend along the length thereof each spindle having a roller fixed thereon near each of its ends, a cylindrical drum formed with a perforated periphery and with an open end adapted to be rotatably supported along and within the trough by resting its periphery upon the said rollers, the drum periphery and one of the said rollers being formed with frictionally engaging surfaces, a driving spindle journalled upon the-trough to extend parallel with the roller spindle in a bear- 1 ing capable of being moved to cause the driving spindle to be adjusted in its distance away from the roller spindle, and friction Wheels fixed upon the outer end of the driving spindle and upon the corresponding end of the adjacent roller spindle adapted to peripherally engage one with the other.

2 A machine for use in cleaning eggs, fruit or the likeaccording to claim 1 in which a guard plate is fixed to the end of the said trough corresponding tothe open end; of the drum,; to be positioned within the drum end to extend, across --.the;loW.er part of the, drum opening.

a 3. Amachineionuse in cleaning eggs, fruit or the like according togclaim ,1 'in,which,. the said shallow trough is formed with a bottomdownwardly curved transversely of itslength andfind frames shaped as stands between which ,thefifiid I bottom isfixed to; extend horizontally.

4. A machine ruse l a n .essai r it h ike, compr a ha l wtroush a a t dto hold a supply of liquid, the saidtro l h. havinga spindle journalled in each of its; edges .to-.;ex tend along the length thereofl each, spindlehaving a roller fixed thereon near each cfitsends, a cylindrical drum formed with a perforated-periphl ry. wi h. op en a a d. to he r t ably supportedyalong and within the --trough;by resting its periphery upon the said rollers,; the drum periphery and one of the said rollers being z,-' orm iwith rict n l y en asinsm ur ag a lever a vo ed, ne; d of: h troush: to project out fromthe;trough side said ;arifn having a sleeve formed uponits outer end extending parallelwith; the trough edge, a lug-projecting radiallyfromthe ,said sleeve, a screw pin passing through .such, lug and engaged .into the trou h end, awdriving spindle zjournalled in, the said sleeve to extendparallelzwith the said rollerspindle, and friction wheels; fixed-respectively upon the corresponding ends of the driving spindle and the roller spindle adapted. to peripherally-engage g one withthe other.

. .ALFRED: HOLT.

, REFERENCESCITED The following references are of record in the fil f t s. patent;

UNIT/ED STATES PATENTS Number j Na 7 .-.D 929,804 Thompson -'Aug. 3,1909 1,331,739 Becker Feb. 2 l, 1920 l,648,823 Bandall et a1. ,No,v 8,,192'7 .'Z,01,8 ..II scl O t- 2. .9

I :FORE GNRATE Number 7 Country 'Date 16,160 Great Britain Oct. 14,1889 

